• 8,068 replies
    marye
    Joined:
    Bolo24 says: An Idea, Perhaps? Since we're all going to have a fair amount of spare time on our hands for the foreseeable future, what about starting another thread where we all listen to the same show/release on a given day and then share impressions afterward? Folks can submit suggestions and one person (not me) picks what we'll all listen to - call it Deadnet Picks or something. Anyway, if this idea is deemed to have merit, I'd suggest one of the loyal regular posters take the lead and do the picking - y'all can decide who. Might be fun. If it does go forward, I nominate Dick's Picks 18 for the first listen. Been talked about here lately, and, had it been a single show rather than a compilation, we'd probably be talking about it in the same conversation as Cornell, Veneta, etc. Or perhaps even Gainesville?? Stay safe and healthy, friends - this planet needs as many Deadheads as possible.

Comments

sort by
Recent
Reset
  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    N2O

    I have had a pack of those cartridges sitting around in my tool room for a few years. I might have to break out my whipped cream canister and live it up NYE this year. ...by making whipped cream of course :D.

    I haven't gotten to 12/31/78 yet.. I might have to savor that one for NYE. It's been forever and a year since I actually watched that DVD. I have been drinking nothing but those 100 cal IPA's for a couple of months (for obvious reasons). I might have go rouge and get some anti-100 cal beer for the occasion, some Imperial Stouts or Christmas Ale or something special. I plan to celebrate in grand style, except 2020 style (pretty much devoid of anything resembling people outside my immediate family that breath air).. Still, I have no plans on getting up early on 1/1. Laughing gas and Grateful Dead seems about right. Let's flush this 2020 shit-show down the toilet with style.

  • Strider 808808
    Joined:
    New Years Eve balloons

    That’s a lot of tanks. Just say N2o.

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    Great Stuff Here All

    Many thanks.. everyone on this thread is a strong contributor. There is some great music being tossed around.

    I saw Cousin's comments on 12/29/77 on I think the subscription thread and I just have to hear at least part of that show. I always like the transition between China Cat and I Know You Rider from that night. What a breakout and the transition is smooth as butter. I will get into the 81 show after that. I think that was my suggestion, so I cannot miss it. I liked the GD's performance that year and in 82 I thought the Tower of Power stuff is classy, top shelf GD.

    Again.. thanks to all of you cats. This place is a safe refuge and a safety line from the 2020 delirium that is seemingly grinding on all around us.

  • The Good Ole G…
    Joined:
    And the hits keep coming

    Literally.
    So many upgrades dropping it feels like Christmas!!!

    Holy moly.

    Great stuff Strider, thanks for sharing man. I dug the back story. And you sure were in the right place at the right time in December '81. That run is a hot one! I'm kind of jonesing to hear more of it after yesterday.

    Great great Playing In The Band on 12/31 and Dark Star never hurts.

    Blair says it was his first and favorite NYE show as well.

    BTK Blair also said he watched NYE 1978 on TV with friends and has never regretted it.

    Ah good stuff!

    And today we get... the first Brent song played on NYE.
    Seems about right.

    Set 1 NYE '82 sounding good.
    How'd these guys do it year after year?
    Maybe don't answer that ;)

    Good times.

    All that 12/29/77 talk makes me want to try and hit that up too.
    At least Three of our denizens here were there 43 years ago.
    Pretty cool.

    Holy Fuck Look At All Those Balloons! - Bob Weir 12/31/82

  • Strider 808808
    Joined:
    NYE run 1981

    Joan Baez was very maternal with the children of the 80s. I’ve been listening to the complete 1981 NYE New Years run. 12/26/81 is amazing for the drums into the 11 section with exploratory improvisation. 12/27 has an awesome extended Playing in the Band into drums. The final Passenger was performed that night. I listened to 12/28 last night.
    That time in my life was exciting as I was in my 20s. I was moving south from seven years in Montana to New Mexico where I still live 39 years later.
    That New Years run along with 12/12/81 were my re-entry into live Grateful Dead after a four year hiatus. 12/31/81 was my first official NYE Dead concert. 12/31/75 was a quasi mini NYE dead show by default with Bob Weir and Mickey Hart sitting in at midnight. Close but no cigar (phatty).
    1981 was my first time seeing Brent live. Also my first time seeing Jerry play his Doug Irwin Tiger guitar.
    Joan Baez was incidental to the three nights I saw her play with the Dead acoustic 12/12,30,31/81. When I listened to 12/12/81 a couple weeks ago I was very impressed with Joan and the Dead playing Warriors of the Sun. What my impressions of these concerts are now 39 years later are most likely vastly different in perspective as to what I was experiencing then.
    Overall summary of December 1981 Grateful Dead, they were still a very exciting youthful improvisational band.

  • icecrmcnkd
    Joined:
    2020 Dead year in review

    This past year I listened to basically the same amount of live GD recordings as I have in the past 20-25 years. That’s because live GD is about the only thing I listen to, ~99% GD, the remainder being Jerry bands, then everyone else.
    The difference over all the years being an increase in the sound quality of the unofficial releases (cassettes > CD-R’s > torrents, with Miller upgrades along the way), and an ever growing quantity of official releases. There’s a lot out there to keep us busy. I wouldn’t want to have to endure a pandemic without the Good Ole Grateful Dead.
    That 76 Box was really what we needed when the shutdown and quarantine hit.
    WMD and AB 50th’s along with stellar sounding Port Chesters.
    4 new DaP’s, although some people may still be waiting on delivery of one or more.

    Keep the releases coming Dave and Co.

    I haven’t been keeping up with the NYE shows, but will try to get a few in this week (I did listen to 12-31-77 and 12-31-90 2-3 weeks ago).
    Watching 12-31-78 on NYE is looking more and more likely.
    Also have the 12-31-87 video, maybe will give that a spin this week too.

    I’ve been watching a lot of roc docs lately on the streaming channel Tubi (I ditched cable, have the TV connected to Ethernet). Anthem to Beauty was made as part of the Classic Albums series, there are a lot of episodes out there of other bands. Those and other roc docs are on Tubi.
    Last night watched a doc on The Police, narrated by Andy and including photos he took during the years. After a tour in Asia Andy and Stuart stayed in Asia on vacation. He narrates “while at the resort we met John Belushi”, a couple of photos of John are shown, “then we realized that there was a cafe serving magic mushroom omelets”......
    Then it cut to commercial....
    Anyway, it was funny because I watched Animal House a couple days ago.

    I guess that brings us full circle to 12-31-78 and the Blues Brothers video which I will also watch on NYE.

  • The Good Ole G…
    Joined:
    A Million Memories

    Aptly titled documentary for the Closing of Winterland.

    Even after I've listened to it hundreds of times, 12/31/78 can conjure the magic.
    It was fun to go there again.

    The Return of Dark Star.
    In my early days of collecting GD music, this tape above all others had a real mystique to it.
    Let's remember in '87 there was no internet, the first Deadbase had just come out if you knew of such things (I didn't), Unless you were connected Dead tapes were hard to find (we weren't).
    And so this Tape with Dark Star from 1978 was crucial.
    I had the '84 Dark Star, I'm not sure about the '81 and was unaware of the 2 from '79. And 1989 hadn't happened.
    So within that context.
    This show was proof, to me anyway, that magic could still happen.
    It epitomized the idea that you never knew what you might get at a Dead show.
    And it made me wonder, what other tapes like this are out there?!?!

    Well Thirty-three years later, there's a lot of tapes out there. But not a lot of other tapes like this out there.
    It's a special night for sure.
    And that's just one memory. I'm sure there are a million about this show.

    Dick Latvala would say it was the greatest night of his life.
    The only regret had about the DVD release by Jeffrey Norman & David Lemieux was that Dick wasn't alive to see it and deadicated the release to him.

    What an amazing show and time.

    Super glad that I watched Set 3. Seeing the band (Jerry in particular) rock like that, smiling and having a good old time.
    Priceless.
    And the Extras were calling me.
    I found my Bill Graham's favorite moments interviews.
    Both Parish & Bob tell great stories about the 12/31/72 NYE at Winterland and the guy on the rope / wire.
    And then Scoop Nisker interviews Bill Graham and he tells the story too and says it's his favorite memory of the place.
    Great Stuff.

    Also, I learned something new. I always wondered who those two guys were interviewing Bob, Mickey and then Kesey.
    They're just so awkward, I would watch and be like.. who are these guys?!?!
    Well now I know, they're KSAN DJs Glenn Lambert (wrote the liner notes for Cow Palace '76 & '78) and Norm Winer.

    Alright.. By the next NYE the band has a new sound and a new member and we're heading into a new era.
    The Brent era.

    And for many of us here it's going to be a good one.

    Strider... let's hear a Joan Baez story!
    And I second the notion of having listened to more Grateful Dead this year than ever before.
    I didn't think it was possible. But it is and I've been doing it.

    1981 NYE let's do this.
    (And for you warriors, sit through that Joan Baez set ;)

  • Strider 808808
    Joined:
    I got sidetracked out on Highway 61

    Back to the NYE shows.
    NYE shows I went to; 12/31/81, 12/31/84, 12/31/86, 12/31/88,12/31/89, 12/31/90 . Of the six official New Years Eve shows I attended I also went to the complete run each of those December’s. Throw in (almost) NYE Grateful Dead, 12/31/75- Jerry Garcia w/ Nicky Hopkins, 1/2/70, 12/29,30/77.
    Most other New Years Eves I’ve experienced seem tame.

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    I'm behind...

    such is life..

    Still, I got in 69, 72 and some of 76.

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Today is Cow Palace New Years, correct?....

    ....I remember when this came out on cd. Played it for a week straight. Zero complaints.
    edit. Today is '78. Whelp. I better get to listening 🎶

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Bolo24 says: An Idea, Perhaps? Since we're all going to have a fair amount of spare time on our hands for the foreseeable future, what about starting another thread where we all listen to the same show/release on a given day and then share impressions afterward? Folks can submit suggestions and one person (not me) picks what we'll all listen to - call it Deadnet Picks or something. Anyway, if this idea is deemed to have merit, I'd suggest one of the loyal regular posters take the lead and do the picking - y'all can decide who. Might be fun. If it does go forward, I nominate Dick's Picks 18 for the first listen. Been talked about here lately, and, had it been a single show rather than a compilation, we'd probably be talking about it in the same conversation as Cornell, Veneta, etc. Or perhaps even Gainesville?? Stay safe and healthy, friends - this planet needs as many Deadheads as possible.
user picture

Member for

7 years 11 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

Milking the Turkey OB!
How can you not love it. Hope you all have the remastered version. Definitely worth the price if you don't have it.

user picture

Member for

10 years
Permalink

But getting in 1 from the vault this morning. Sweet!
On a very early tape in my collection from when I first started getting back into the Dead. Unfortunately it's a 90 minute tape so missing some good stuff at the end. Must have borrowed the CD from my coworker at REI. Recorded it Feb. of 1993. About all I had at that point was a lot of David Gans GD Hour recorded every Saturday night from 11- midnight from local PHX rock station radio. Usually found myself asleep in my chair as the tape shut off at midnight, but as long as I was able to cut out the commercials in the middle I could get the whole show on one side of a 100 minute tape. Really got me back into it with his wide ranging selections from the vault and often some very fresh chunks of current shows. Don't think I even had many auds. yet. Just a lot of LPs. Didn't get started on Dick's Picks until about '97 but made sure I got every one as they came out at my local, long gone, record store. I miss that. Have to drive 70 miles now to get to Triple Play in GJ, CO to flip through the vinyl again. Subscription sure makes it easy now though. And so it goes.
Cheers

user picture

Member for

7 years 11 months

In reply to by 1stshow70878

Permalink

Love it Firstshow.

Who has a pick out there?

We are about a month away from Here Comes Sunshine!

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Came through for me. We all know it's a grate show from 30 Trips and a peculiar 1974 mix. 5 19 1974 Portland another classic also came through with that wild set 2 jam for me.

Keep it Grateful everyone and happy fry day if you like sizzling up some potatoes. :-)

user picture

Member for

7 years 11 months

In reply to by wilfredtjones

Permalink

Sounds good to me WTJ.

Haven't listened to this show in a long time.

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Some of those 74 mixes are great, especially first sets. Currently spinning DaP 3 10-22-71 and listening to Keith really start to shine out of the gate.

user picture

Member for

16 years 3 months
Permalink

Mornin’ rockers, happy Monday!!!

Pick Of The Day: Fillmore West June 5 1970

The dice of Zeus always fall luckily……

A year out from the fine June 5 1969 show finds the Dead back at the Fillmore West for a sweet acoustic/electric show, a format which lasted for such a short, short time………

Acoustically, among other things we get a Chinaless Rider, Silver Threads, Friend Of The Devil, Me & My Uncle, Black Peter, and a New Speedway. Very nice indeedie…………

Electrically, while there are some flaws, gaffes, and edits, we do get a solid dose of Good Old Grateful Dead, with an Easy Wind, a Cryptical/Other One suite which merges into a rare Attics Of My Life (a song that never seemed to work particularly well), a rare occasion of two back-to back Pigpen tunes (Hard To Handle and Man’s World), and a two song encore. GOGD, warts and all…………

High quality boards are out there. Were they originally from those banana boxes? Absolutely worth a listen…………

Our happiness depends on wisdom all the way…………

Rock on!!!

Doc
How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in the truth……

user picture

Member for

16 years 3 months
Permalink

Mornin’, rockers!!

Pick Of The Day: Fillmore West June 6 1970

God's dice always have a lucky roll……

Similar in format to the previous night, but much more expansive, with an acoustic set and two electric sets. And much weirder as well………….was there something in the water?

Typical loose acoustic dip into Americana kicks it off, with a Frozen Logger, Deep Elem, Wake Up Little Susie, Cumberland Blues, and another New Speedway……..

The dip into electric psychedelia kicks it off with a Morning Dew and includes a Dancin’, China/Rider, Good Lovin’/Searchin’/Good Lovin’, another Attics, Alligator, and a Lovelight sandwich filled with Not Fade Away jam……..

Not perfect, but it’ll do quite nicely. Find yourself a copy of one of the chewy circulating soundboards…………….

If one begins all deeds well, it is likely that they will end well too…..

Rock on!!!

Doc
A day lays low and lifts up again all human things…..

user picture

Member for

16 years 3 months
Permalink

Good morning, fellow rockers!!

Pick Of The Day: Fillmore West June 7 1970

Alas, how quickly the gratitude owed to the dead flows off, how quick to be proved a deceiver…..

The final show of this four night run kicks off with a solid, nine song acoustic set. The electric pandemonium that follows rolls out with a solid CE/TOO/CE suite and features a proto-Playing, the painful-to-listen-to first Sugar Mags, another Man’s World (admittedly, not the best Pigpen cover selection), Sittin’ On Top Of The World, a stand-alone Cosmic Charlie, and a solid jammy Good Lovin’. About what one would expect from the Good Old Grateful Dead at the time……….

Men may know many things by seeing, but no prophet can see before the event, nor what end waits for him…..

Rock on!!!

Doc
For the wretched one night is like a thousand, for someone faring well death is just one more night…..
P.S. DeadVikes, 11/14/73, I am with you!!!

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

9-18-1974

I also roadtrip styled some 6-5-1980 (Fun Early Stranger and China>Rider stood out)

DaP 30 and DP 4 are due to be served up steaming hot.

Keep it Grateful everybody... :-)¯

user picture

Member for

16 years 3 months
Permalink

You've got to bumble forward into the unknown……….

Pick Of The Day: Honolulu, Hawaii June 12 1970

How does one assess a relatively unknown entity? It seems very little is known about this show. Have never seen a setlist, heard of firsthand accounts, or run across an audience recording of show.

However………………..

It appears that at least a portion of the show WAS recorded, survived, and is in the vault. A 25 minute segment of Cryptical Envelopment/drums/The Other One/Cryptical reprise was “broadcast” on the Taper’s Section in 2015. The recording itself isn’t just exactly perfect, but the music itself is what you’d expect at the time---raucous, rowdy, and rockin’! In other words, Good Old Grateful Dead, 1970 style…………

Where might the rest be? In those banana boxes?????

Rock on!

Doc
Exploring the unknown requires tolerating uncertainty…..

Mile High Stadium 6/28/91. This is a very good period for the boys and very well recorded. Looking forward to the Wrigley 91 show on the big screen next week.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Only heard on device while working but I liked it!
Think I still prefer fall 91, but summer is growing on me…

user picture

Member for

7 years 11 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

Hey OB, glad you liked it. Good solid show. They were really in to Wang Dang Doodle during this time and this one is solid. Really good IKO, IKO and second set Eyes opener is not as good as the Giants Stadium version but still a nice long ride. It just flows. Love the Box of Rain encore.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Picasso moon with a full moon, and BT Wind, and don’t forget that little Dark Star tease after Rat!

user picture

Member for

7 years 8 months
Permalink

Good suggestion! I was pretty active seeing shows and collecting tapes in '91, but this show is one that has escaped my attention. Got up to Eyes so far and it's been a lot of fun. I'll finish it off at work... I'm looking forward to hearing how the DS tease plays out in Set II. Reminds me of a show I was at, 2/21/91, where Terrapin got a big tease after Playin', and they later played it that night, but first they juked us and went into UJB instead. Fun times.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by Obeah

Permalink

Unexpected day off (so far 🤞)
So I’m going to hang out in this neighborhood and hit Sandstone. 6/24 for sure, 6/25 possibly…

user picture

Member for

16 years 3 months
Permalink

June 16, 1972

Gone but not forgotten.................

So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good.......

Doc
Memory is the treasure house of the mind wherein the monuments thereof are kept and preserved.......

Alright, I will definitely check out 6/24 and 6/25 91. What did you think

Thanks guys.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Both enjoyed. Only background listen to the 25, but I noted I liked it?
Sorta status quo summer 91, so in other words, good sheet!
That whole summer into fall stretch is prolly the last good, extended period. Sure there still were other moments, highlights, runs etc, but as far as good consistent stretch of solid outings, one could argue this was It?

That’s what 91 is to me: not rocket ship stratospheric energy and danger, more slow, intentional, powerful, like a steam locomotive building up to speed, than a rocket ship blasting off the pad.
Nice start on the 24, perhaps a little Keyboard centric but the H/P version settles in nice.
C.C, which after going away and perhaps too many Red Roosters etc, I recall feeling BITD that it was nice to see again. Here decent version paired with an ok but fun/novelty Mail Train.
I recall the Estimated caught my ear, I think because of the different sorta spacey treatment instead of the histrionics? Kinda of a blur now as I hit 10/20/88 and 10/21/88 yesterday (after influenced by Nitecats DTV about 88 and the southern tour), along with the second from 4/2/89 after seeing Dave mention its Shakedown along with gulp, 6/30/85 (always to be mentioned in reverrential tones lol) so at least we know it’s on his radar🤞.
But I digress, so yeah, the 91s are a bit blurry now? So remember digging estimated, fun Lightnin jam, usual big awesome 90s D/s, with good but perhaps not mind blowing backside…
Fun A&A as an encore.
The next as I say, I need to relisten…Always dig a sweet Candyman and I’m sure there were moments that were noticed?
All in all, nothing perhaps “holy crap” and nothing too stinky, just overall solid status quo summer 91, which is nice…

The 88s sorta same deal. Good, but perhaps not top shelf, though this is the second show I marked as needing to rehit, not 6/25/91 (though I should). 10/20 was good, but 10/21/88 seemed to be hot, but unfortunately, definitely need a full listen to this one!
Maybe best of short tour? we went to the Fla shows, and I seem to recall Miami is hot, but my recollection is the St Pete’s were “just” sorta average? (But man what a scene! It’s a shame NC didn’t include more footage) I’ll Have to hear them again too lol. Hey, that’s the good part of memory loss…you can dig stuff fresh all over again lol.
Ok, yet another nice wet “cool Colorado rain” day to stay in and play with my toys!
Onward

user picture

Member for

7 years 11 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

Another fine 91 hey OB. I think I like this one more that Mile High Stadium. Both are great.
Recording is fantastic again, five dancing bears. Thank you Don Pearson and Charlie Miller.

Great flow to this show.
Well played Help Slip, with an extended Franklins.
Really enjoyed the CC Rider OB, kind of a slowed down mellow version into a Dylan favorite It takes a lot to laugh......
Good Bob Cowboy songs with Me and My Uncle and Big River.
Start set two with a fine China Rider, Estimated, supplication UJB. Yes! Really good.
Finish the night with a Other One, solid Dew and Around and Around.

Would like to see some 91 shows released as Dave's Picks.

Okay on to the next night in 91 and then on to those 83 shows. Sounds fun.

Thanks.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

6/20/83………you MUST hear this, that’s all I’m going to say….
Don’t let the Aud only scare ya!
Next nights good, but I have not been as emotionally moved by a show like this in quite awhile….
Cheese and rice Jim!

Yeah, come on Dave, where’s the 91? Didn’t you see the fall tour I sent ya? Half the works already done lol
Fall 91 box, summer 91 with video ala Up to Bu faf or CW&I.

user picture

Member for

10 years
Permalink

has the last Bob Star (Little Star?) of only three?
Just finishing 1st set. Good solid start.
I'll let you know later on the rest but not feeling it yet.
Notes said raging storm had the place "electric".
You were there vicariously Oro! Time warp transport?
Cheers
Edit: Beam me up to where they were Scotty! Second set rips from the get go.
China>Rider>Samson and Truckin' that went Nobody's are peak stuff.
Jerry just everywhere all at once. Juggling rhythms and riffs within riffs.
And by '83 the wicked speed of his attack was so smooth and polished.
A style I've had to learn to like I'm embarrassed to say. Nonstop all the way through Drums and that last little 3 minutes of Jam crazy good. Who was doing that steel drum sound for a bit there? Need more of that in the reggae songs. Strong TOO and finish. Love a mellower encore to wind down like Baby Blue.
Thanks for the tip on this one.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by 1stshow70878

Permalink

After you listen to it.
I agree, it was a good show but…until Truckin!!…from then on, the energy is,…well, electric!
I hadn’t read all the posts yet, but sorta knew about storm influence etc, I remember Jim mentioning it once, but for whatever reason I’d not heard it.
But boy all of a sudden, like a switch being turned on, it got my attention during Truckin, from the moment the lightning struck, holy crap, snapped me outta what I was doing and took full notice! From then on, that’s what the X factor is folks, that’s what the GD was all about! Zaaaaappppp!
Will definitely need to rehear this one. Kinda glad it was an aud. Not sure it would have been as powerful if SB only? Should totally be a matrix if ever released, which it should!

Edit: did 3/28/93 for something different. Shows ok overall, solid, no yawns or mishaps. But Jer is on this night and his songs are all noteworthy in the context of the year. Surprised how many enjoyable shows I’ve found from 93 so far. Sure I’m cherry picking, but still surprised and not a real clunker yet…

user picture

Member for

7 years 11 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

What a great tour. Would have been fun to see these two nights in Kansas. Nice first set, good Sugaree. Great second set with Scarlett Fire Truckin into Smokestack Lightning (the archive incorrectly lists the song as Spoonful). Great run out of Drums and Space. Always love a It's all over now baby blue encore.

Great stuff. Will definitely listen to these shows again. Thanks.

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Anyone notice the R&C tease before the Jed? Shame it was never played again I think after Buckeye Lake on 6/9. Which is better June 90 or June 91? Can't both be true at the same time? :-)¯ :-)¯ :-)¯

-edit- If I had to go with one it would be June 91 because more is better.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by wilfredtjones

Permalink

Didn’t catch it before, but JG mos def throws it out there, Shane they didn’t do it more.
Total surprise seeing it at Buckeye! That and the Violent Fems opening, who I was totally not familiar with until then lol.

user picture

Member for

13 years 3 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

Take a few days off from the boards here and this show pops up.

For a few brief hours the heavens hid behind a torrent of darkness and mayhem the likes of which, well, tripping at least, the likes of which one rarely gets to witness and come through the other side unscathed.

It might not come through on the tapes, but boy was that something to behold. The most fun I have ever had a Dead Show.

I was going to hit 12/31/76 today which came up on the DaP 46 thread but that one will have to take a back seat to this. It's probably been 15 years since I listened to it. Any other storm I have seen of this intensity, I sought cover.. I got to enjoy this one with 20,000 of my closest friends, unprotected, outside, exposed.. many on the lawn.

Lightning struck the top of the shed I think during Wharf Rat, but the storm was raging for most of the show. Bobby had to put down his guitar during Sugar Magnolia supposedly because he was getting shocked for fear of getting shocked. The storm was localized, but I do not recall a flood on the Little Patuxent River like this one even during some of the bigger hurricane type storms that have hit over the last 30 or 40 years.. at least across Route 29 where the venue sat. The walking bridge to the parking lot was gone, flooded away.. and the highway into and out of the show was under water and therefore closed.
After the show they had did a hack job patch on the lawn as there were big ruts (mini canyons) where people were doing body slides down the hill (both fully clothed and naked), at first by accident later on purpose. After the second show they brought in the big equipment and had to completely resurface the lawn and the venue before shows could commence. It was destroyed by a dayglo infused bodies tobogganing down the hill. The lawn was like a big waterslide and where it met the pavilion it made a cascading four-foot muddy waterfall into the pavilion seating.

It was like a four-mile hike from the show to my parents' house where most of us went afterwards. We had to wade across the floodwaters over the highway, the currents trying to displace us.. a few of the smaller people held hands to keep their balance. Picture that, coming down from mushrooms after a local dead show. That's my Grateful Dead kodak moment etched into what remains of my teenage memories.

Big fun with the Grateful Dead.

Oh, and the show, at least as I remember it, was high octane GD. A little rough around the edges typical for '83 but the band never wavered, they seemed to embrace the energy and just roll with it in perfect time with the storm around them. I'm clearly biased but I would call this a great show which does not come through on the tapes that circulate.

user picture

Member for

10 years
Permalink

Thanks for filling out that picture of the show in my mind Jim!
How in the world did that taper keep his rig dry?
I just picked the first one in the archive and the sound was pretty good.
As Oro suggests a matrix of this should be released. I'd buy it for sure.
Got so much more feel for the flow when you can hear the audience react.
Cheers

user picture

Member for

13 years 3 months

In reply to by 1stshow70878

Permalink

Being in the pavilion helps.. but no soundboards exist for this show, guessing the machine got zapped when they lost power. The audience tapes sound decent though.. especially considering what they had to go through to make the tapes.

Phil really gets into it during the second set. Was it thunder or was it Phil?

Hope you all are doing well... another summer show perhaps? Since no ones thrown out anything how about another Merriweather, 6.27.84? Certainly off the beaten path.

Mañana
I’m down, never been…
Perhaps 6/20/83 SB does exist and is being stashed? (Hey why not lol)

user picture

Member for

7 years 11 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

6/27/84 sounds good to me. Will get it going today.

Had a blast at the MUATM show last night.

If you are going on Saturday, I wouldn't ruin it for you, but I will say great show, June 91 was super hot.

They had a cool short segment on the Here Comes Sunshine Box, can't wait.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Interesting, fun show.
Ist sets good, but so so.
The second they step it up.
Got the Friday energy going here a little…
Real nice H/S/F, status Estimated/Eyes, fun first Do it in the Road, Brentski feeling his oats several times this night.
Phuching cool ass Alien landing spooky space into a nice trippy Dew. Imagine the Stones/NFA ender was still new enough, in fact Stones sounds like Bobs still working on it? Sweet Brokedown to send em home!
At first I was kinda meh, but this one’s a creeper! By the end the audio was really good too, real clear vocals, and don’t recall Jer having any issues? Sequence from Road threw Dew was worth the price of admission alone!
Sure it was even better in person. They seemed to always have some reaction with this place?
Can’t recall if I’ve heard the previous night, but if it’s as good as the rest…

user picture

Member for

13 years 3 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

You summed that up pretty well.

As for the night before, perhaps not as good but different. They opened the show with Casey Jones (the sixth to last time played), it was the third or fourth show of the tour and right off interstate 95, which in the mid 80's was practically paved with cocaine coming in Florida and making it up the coast. It was everywhere in 1984 (RIP Len Bias). Opening up the show with Casey Jones.. well, you know what was on their minds (and up their noses). I managed to make it to the first row for that one.

A decent show with a high energy opener. Every now and again I get in the mood for some down and dirty mid 80's. They played some 68 show on SiriusXM yesterday while I was working on some house project, I think 10/12/68 at the Avalon and I was thinking what a garage band sound they had back then. By '72 they had cleaned up their tones and were anything but a garage band.., then the clean jazzy sound of 74, enter the Travis Bean era in 76 to the practically perfect band in '77, again far away from a garage band sounding GD.

But by the 80's that garage band rawness had made it's way back into their sound, completely different but raw, crunchy and high energy.

user picture

Member for

7 years 11 months

In reply to by JimInMD

Permalink

This one is for you OB. The middle night of a great three day run at Winterland. Often overlooked due to the other two nights.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Ok, DV, just for you ; )
That’s in that WL box right?

But it might take a few daze as I’m hoping to go full 73 box asap! (AND stream 3 D&C Boulder shows)
Feel like it’s gonna get stranger….gonna be a long, long, crazy WE!

user picture

Member for

7 years 11 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

Yes, OB, the wonderful Winterland 77 box set, released in I believe 2009. I wouldn't tell you what I paid for it in 2015, but it wasn't the retail price of $99! June in my opinion is even better than May. Too bad Mickey got in a car accident.

user picture

Member for

10 years
Permalink

So I might just as well.
Got a week to wait for my new release.
So 6-8-77 Winterland in the queue.
Cheers

Tap,tap, is this thing on? They're all breaking in the new box I'd guess.

Post listen: Beautiful smooth silky show from that Just Exactly Perfect era. Typical middle night of the run show but simply flawless performance. When that pace is a tad slower Jerry really has time to develop some tasty riffs and fills. Most memorable tune: Jack-a-Roe and some first set intros were very cool I noticed.

user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months

In reply to by 1stshow70878

Permalink

Knew I wasn’t going to have time to properly hit this because of new box etc, (which sounds great so far) and working with young associate who turns out is kinda a head! Going to last night of D&C, loves Sirius etc
So I dial up the show via relisten on my tablet, and the kid (? Late 20s) gets into it big time, singing along etc.
lol, who knew? We arrrrrre everywhere!
So not full immersion, but definitely appreciated the energy to power through a Friday trying to meet another FU deadline.
1st show sums it up well, cept I’m not sure about those early Jack-O-Roes? Total preference thing to be sure, so just making conversation. I mean I like either TLEO, or US/Wave that Flag, FOTD etc and same here, but my personal preference is those more BG like ripping later years, but hey, that’s just me
; )
Don’t recall any big stand outs, just status quo 77: solid, well played, nice vocals, good energy, pretty much the whole way!
I can’t really compare as I’m not so up on 77, and I have hardly listed to the WL run for whatever reason?
So it was a nice pick and made a stressful finish to a long week breeze by.
Definitely need to listen to the whole run sometime when there’s not much else in the que…lol yeah, is the que ever small. So much music, so little time!
Ok, back to Iowa! Yeah baby, shake it Sugaree!

user picture

Member for

13 years 3 months

In reply to by Oroborous

Permalink

Box has not yet arrived. Hit the high points of 6/8. As is often the case, the second set is where it's at.. a great Eyes but the whole set is interesting not to forget the Bertha Good Lovin' opener.

I found myself particularly drawn to the sleepers in the first set. I think it was just my mood.. but I am sucker for a good Brown Eyed Women, and that Sugaree is a smoker.

I'm with Oro.. best listened to as a sweet suite.. if you're going to chase after the rabbit.. be prepared to be dragged down deep into the rabbit hole.

user picture

Member for

7 years 11 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Hey, thanks for enjoying it, as Bob would say from time to time.

Yes, no Here Comes Sunshine box here either. Good to see one sell out. I think 10k is the way to go for Rhino.

Speaking of Sugaree, the version from 6/8 is very nice, I agree Jim. Not as long as Hartford, but so well done. Love these early versions of Jack a Roe, such a good flow.

Definitely worth some additional listens when you have time OB. 6/9, has one of my favorite versions of Franklins they ever performed.

Looking forward to receiving my box by the end of next week.

user picture

Member for

7 years 11 months

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

Who has a pick out there?

Still waiting for the HCS box.

Hope you all had a good fourth.

Might have to revisit Willie Nelson's Picknic from 7/1/78.

user picture

Member for

10 years
Permalink

Should fit in my schedule.
Isn't that a one big set?
Still waiting on 6-10-73 to arrive.
Cheers

Edit: An unexpected surprise! RFK 4-CD arrived 3 days early with no USPS notice. All set for my weekend. (faint scuffs on disc 2 but no glue anywhere with more standard packaging, but they do slide in, no plastic holders like DaPs.

user picture

Member for

10 years 1 month

In reply to by DeadVikes

Permalink

A good solid show. It seems very much to rest on Jerry's shoulders to me, and he is superb throughout. Ably supported by some nice walking bass from Mr Lesh. An early highlight for me was the solo on Friend of the Devil. The drums seemed to plod a bit, and I'm not so keen on either Bob or Keith's sound, but they are both in the background for much of the time. I thought I could hear a bit of Bob on slide a few times, but that might just have been me being paranoid.
I think I'll go straight to the next one in the 78 box, now - 7/3/78. Or maybe 6/26/74 - it depends on how my mood is when I get to the living room.

user picture

Member for

10 years
Permalink

Sometimes when Uncle Bobo would tell them they only had another hour they would bring it all the harder, after messing with him a bit of course. This one feels a little like that. Knowing they had a time constraint didn't seem to throw them off at all. Probably looked forward to having some BBQ afterwards. Jerry seems to get some lyrics mixed up a couple times but hard to find fault with this show. The Playin' stood out nicely I thought. Really hitting their stride by then. May have to do some 45 year anniversaries this weekend. 7-7-78 seems to be calling me now after this fun one.
Cheers
Still haven't checked my discs yet for the RFK 4CD but I'm thinking customer service is a bit overwhelmed already reading about all the issues so no huge hurry I guess.

user picture

Member for

7 years 11 months

In reply to by daverock

Permalink

The Dead performing at the Willie Nelson Picnic, what a scene that must have been. I really like this show (great FOD, Terrapin, Playing) and Daverock, 7/3 at the St. Paul Civic Center is another great show. Of course Firstshow was part of this scene back in July 78. Lucky Guy.

user picture

Member for

10 years 1 month
Permalink

I do feel lucky DV. Got to see 4 shows in a row so to speak.
7-7-78 Listened from the parking lot dodging security. Had to work, got off early, went without a ticket, ended up rescuing stranded friends who were having a little tiff with their ride.
7-8-78 Technically my first show. A rip-snorter if there ever was one to end the tour. Now with legendary status.
8-30-78 The very next show. They loved Red Rocks and rewarded us with the new Shakedown tunes. Short notice almost unannounced dates added to begin the tour. Just exactly perfect and so different from the July shows.
8-31-78 Capping off a monumental couple of months for me.
Those were the daze. Not so sure I got on the bus so much as the bus whizzed by and an arm grabbed me by the collar and pulled me in. A life saving gesture by the band, or so it felt.
Cheers